EXCLUSIVE: BET has renewed The Ms. Pat Show for a sixth season. The series will be among the first of the network’s original series to stream on Paramount+, which becomes the new streaming home for BET content beginning in June.
Led by the titular comedian Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams-Lee, the series she co-created with Tony Award-nominated actor and playwright Jordan E. Cooper is inspired by her memoir Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat. The Ms. Pat Show recently completed its fifth season run after 8 episodes.
The R-rated comedy series is centered around the life of Pat Carson (Williams-Lee), the matriarch of a multi-generational African American family. Across the show’s five seasons, The Ms. Pat Show has tackled a variety of complex topics, including addiction, abortion, racism, sexual abuse, LGBTQ+ issues, immigration, generational trauma, non-binary pronouns, Black hair, school shootings, and systemic inequities, all delivered with Ms. Pat’s signature humor and unapologetic candor.
BET notes in a release that the series “embodies BET’s commitment to community, culture, and connection, centering authentic Black experiences, sparking conversation around real-life issues, and creating space for audiences to see themselves reflected with honesty and humor. Through its fearless storytelling, the series continues to deepen its cultural impact while strengthening the bond between viewers and the stories that resonate most.”
During a recent chat with Williams and Cooper, she noted that they “don’t anticipate any changes” with the move to Paramount+, adding, “we’re not a new show, and we have a foundation, albeit a smaller one, and we’re moving into a bigger foundation.”
Added Cooper, “We’re excited that now we will have a global audience for this world and these characters. We’re very much the kind of show that will be rooted in comedy first, so we don’t think we’re going to change the recipe at all.”
Cooper is also an actor who, for the second time in the series’ run, played the role of Sadiq Shay in Season 5.
During our chat, Williams-Lee joked about how Cooper pushed her a bit out of her comfort zone with some of the storylines from the latest season, some of which are now the biggest topics of discussion fans want to have when they see them out and about. Of note, the popular episodes include the finale with Denise’s (Tami Roman) big romantic storyline, Janelle’s (Briyana Guadalupe) possible pregnancy, and Terry’s (J. Bernard Calloway) search for his father.
More from our chat discussing the above plot points and more will be available soon. The first 5 seasons can currently still be found on BET+.
Produced by Imagine Entertainment, Cooper’s Cookout Entertainment, and Lee Daniels Entertainment, The Ms. Pat Show is executive produced by Brian Grazer, Lee Daniels, Jon Radler, Deb Evans, Patrick Walsh, and Rose Catherine Pinkney, alongside Williams-Lee and Cooper. Director Mary Lou Belli has received three consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (2022, 2023, 2024) for her work on the show.
In addition to The Ms. Pat Show, Williams-Lee has held court across three seasons of her unscripted series Ms. Pat Settles It. Williams-Lee is repped by IAG, Tigerman Management, and Reed Smith.
English (US) ·